The Bangabandhu Tunnel under the Karnaphuli river, which is the first tunnel in South Asia, is 100 per cent completed by next Marcch.
However, even if the entire work is completed in March, the tunnel will be opened for traffic in February. In the meantime, a proposal has been sent to the ministry to determine the vehicle toll for the tunnel. It will get final approval from the Prime Minister's office after visiting various ministries.
The opening date of the tunnel will be officially announced only after the toll is fixed.
Bangabandhu Tunnel project director Harunur Rashid Chowdhury said, “The progress of the overall tunnel work is slightly more than 95 per cent. We hope that 100 per cent of the tunnel work will be completed before March.”
According to the sources of the bridge authority, the Bangabandhu Tunnel toll has been proposed in line with the various bridges of the country and Shah Amanat Bridge. Three-wheelers and motorcycles were not considered in the initial proposal.
The proposal includes Tk 200 for private cars, jeeps and pickups, Tk 250 for microbuses, Tk 300 for buses with 31 or less seats and Tk 400 for buses with 32 or more seats, Tk 400 for 5 tonne trucks, 5 to 8 tonne trucks, tk 500, 8 to 11 tonnes for trucks, tk 600, tk 800 for trucks (three axles), tk 1,000 for trailers (four axles) and rk 1,000 for trailers with more than four axles, with an additional toll of 200 for each axle.
The proposal sent by the bridge department will be vetted by the law ministry after the finance ministry approves it. The toll rate will be finalized after the Prime Minister's Office gives final approval.
The Bangabandhu Tunnel has been built under the Karnaphuli River in the model of 'One City Two Towns' by uniting Chittagong city and Anwara Upazila in the model of Shanghai city in China.
At one end of this tunnel is the heavy industrial area of Anwara and Chittagong city, airport and seaport on the other side. This tunnel will connect the city and the village in one thread. Bangladesh Government and Chinese Exim Bank have jointly financed this project.
@The report was published on print and online versions of the Bangladesh Pratidin on January 11 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan.
